Apple on Saturday opened five new retail stores around the world, including one in Research in Motion's hometown of Waterloo, Ontario, and the company's first location in Alaska.

The Cupertino, Calif., company said during a quarterly earnings call in July that it plans to open 30 new retail stores during the third quarter, which ends in September. Five of those stores opened their doors on Saturday ahead of the back-to-school season.

Waterloo, Ontario

The newly opened Apple Store in the Conestoga Mall in Waterloo marks Apple's 20th store in Canada. This location in particular has drawn media attention because it is located just minutes from the headquarters of rival handset maker RIM.

Waterloo has been billed as a strategic area for Apple because its demographic tends to "skew younger, more educated, have more disposable income and are generally more tech savvy than many other regions in Canada." The region also has a combined total of 70,000 students from nearby Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo and Conestoga College.

Canadian Mac site ehMac.ca posted a video of the store's opening, which saw more than a hundred customers waiting in line ahead of the official opening.

After being passed by Apple last year in terms of smartphone sales, RIM has floundered in the smartphone and tablet industry. The company recently announced layoffs of 2,000 employees, or almost 11 percent of its workforce.

Analysts have called RIM a "one-trick pony" with a broken trick, projecting a bleak outlook for the company.

Anchorage, Alaska

Apple also opened up its first retail store in Alaska at the 5th Avenue Mall in Anchorage on Saturday, as noted by the Anchorage Daily News.

The first customers arrived at at 5 a.m. and were let into the mall an hour later. One customer slept overnight at a children's clothing store next door in anticipation of the launch. By 10 a.m., the line outside the store was roughly 100 yards long. Mall officials said Apple had counted about 1,000 people at the store within an hour of opening.

Murray, Utah

Utah saw its second Apple store arrive on Saturday at the Fashion Place Mall in Murray. According to the Daily Utah Chronicle, Apple store staff applauded and cheered for more than 20 minutes as customers entered the store after doors opened at 10 a.m.

We couldnt be more excited to open another Apple store in Murray, said Miles Dunford, store leader for Utah's first Apple Store at The Gateway in Salt Lake City.

Credit: Richard Payson

This is amazing," said Kenna Warner, the owner of a restaurant in the mall. Its like The Beatles have arrived.

Cheltenham, Australia

The new Apple Store at Melbourne's Westfield Southland shopping center opened its doors on Saturday with about 200 eager fans lined up outside, Macworld reports.

The new store is the 12th location for the company in Australia and the third Apple Store to open up in Melbourne.

Florence, Italy

Apple opened its sixth Italian retail store in the I Gigli mall in Campi Bisenzio, Florence. As reported by setteB.IT (via Google Translate), the opening drew a sizable crowd. Nearby shops were reportedly "amazed" by the interest generated by Apple's opening.

Nothing compares to the early days of Apple Store openings. Today's may still have the crowds but they don't have the excitement of opening your goody bag for nice surprises anymore. I only managed one though - Regent Street store but quite a few t-shirts in and around UK.

Hyperbole is one thing, but his stuff crosses the line to bullshit. If Apple want to retain credibility, they need to cut back on the crapola.

..said by the guy who calls himself "AppleLover!"

Anyway, I'm not sure how this hurts Apple's credibility. One of those quotes was from a third party observer. The applause and the high-fiveing would be rediculous if it was a normal store opening--but when hundreds of people are lining up at the door and waiting hours, well, it seems to be a proportional response.

The Cupertino, Calif., company said during a quarterly earnings call in July that it plans to open 30 new retail stores during the third quarter, which ends in September.

Apple is the most valuable company in the world, in terms of market cap. They should have more than a few hundred stores (with all but a few in US, Canada, and England). There is obviously a large unmet demand -- witness the level of excitement here and all the fake stores in China. I think it's time they stopped taking a boutique approach, with each store fancily designed in a high end mall. They should just open a big bunch of nice stores in decent places with some standard designs (but keep paying a lot of attention to personnel).

I think it's interesting that 3 out of the 5 were in the US. I wonder why Apple isn't trying to get the same level of penetration in Europe, Japan, etc. Do they really need a store in Anchorage more than one in Berlin? A proper store in Dubai?

I guess international expansion takes more effort, but still - seems odd.

"The newly opened Apple Store in the Conestoga Mall in Waterloo marks Apple's 20th store in Canada. This location in particular has drawn media attention because it is located just minutes from the headquarters of rival handset maker RIM."

This is nice, the RIM folks will be able to trade in their BBs and PlayBooks and get Apple Gift cards as part of Apple's new recycling program.

From Apple ][ - to new Mac Pro I've owned them all.Long on AAPL so biased"Google doesn't sell you anything, Google just sells you!"

I think it's time they stopped taking a boutique approach, with each store fancily designed in a high end mall. They should just open a big bunch of nice stores in decent places with some standard designs (but keep paying a lot of attention to personnel).

Apple is the most valuable company in the world, in terms of market cap. They should have more than a few hundred stores (with all but a few in US, Canada, and England). There is obviously a large unmet demand -- witness the level of excitement here and all the fake stores in China. I think it's time they stopped taking a boutique approach, with each store fancily designed in a high end mall. They should just open a big bunch of nice stores in decent places with some standard designs (but keep paying a lot of attention to personnel).

Let me get this straight, Apple should just start putting stores everywhere to have a presence, and make their designs less unique (because they are pretty standard from store to store, but a high standard). Somehow, I don't think this line of thinking fits with Apple. However, there is an opening for the Chief of their Retail Stores so you can always pitch that idea...

So I wonder.... Will Apple or Steve open a store on the International Space Station? Really. They could sell Silver and Gold plated iPod's. Cool Huh. Maybe they can sell an iPod to every non US citizen who visits the Space Station. The iPods can help fund the Government to reduce the national Debt.

My answer is yes as my nearest Apple Store just got 2500 miles closer, or 5 days drive from Anchorage, across Canada, to Washington. How close is your nearest Apple Store? Don't be so stingy, we all want an Apple Store!

Hyperbole is one thing, but his stuff crosses the line to bullshit. If Apple want to retain credibility, they need to cut back on the crapola.

Despite your "name" ..... I doubt whether you "love", or even follow Apple, other than to keep posting these ridiculous posts of yours. Anyone who took the time to understand what Apple is all about would recognize the "passion" that the fans have for all things Apple.

If you have a passion for computers .... you'll love Apple. If you have a passion for business ..... you'll love following Apple ... because in both cases .. Apple leads the way in showing "how it should be done".

People who don't have a passion for computers or business will never "get it" when it comes to Apple because to them a computer is just a tool to "get things done" ..... a business is "just something to earn you money".

I feel sorry for people like you and your ilk because the joy that a company like Apple can and does bring to millions of us .... is just lost on you ... and to me, that is just sad. \

Apple, bigger than Google, √ ..... bigger than Microsoft, √ The universe is unfolding as it should. Thanks, Apple.

Apple is the most valuable company in the world, in terms of market cap. They should have more than a few hundred stores (with all but a few in US, Canada, and England). There is obviously a large unmet demand -- witness the level of excitement here and all the fake stores in China. I think it's time they stopped taking a boutique approach, with each store fancily designed in a high end mall. They should just open a big bunch of nice stores in decent places with some standard designs (but keep paying a lot of attention to personnel).

My answer is yes as my nearest Apple Store just got 2500 miles closer, or 5 days drive from Anchorage, across Canada, to Washington. How close is your nearest Apple Store? Don't be so stingy, we all want an Apple Store!

Well folks in Berlin definitely didn't have as long a drive as you did prior to the Anchorage store opening. I'm surprised there isn't one actually in Berlin, but there are 5 in the country and the closest one is less than two hours drive away in Dresden. It's the easternmost European Apple store and opened just this spring. They hooked me up with an iPhone 4 warranty replacement even though mine was locked to AT&T and technically should only be serviced in the USA. Really nice employees there and they all spoken amazing English.

My answer is yes as my nearest Apple Store just got 2500 miles closer, or 5 days drive from Anchorage, across Canada, to Washington. How close is your nearest Apple Store? Don't be so stingy, we all want an Apple Store!

You could have saved yourself a few miles, and stopped in Vancouver, which is a darn sight prettier than anything in Washington too. Then again, US$ aren't worth so much there anymore.

Anyway, enjoy your new store ... we still have precious few here in Germany.

Anyway, enjoy your new store ... we still have precious few here in Germany.

Indeed, and there are only two in Spain, none in Portugal, none in Austria, none in Eastern Europe, none in Scandinavia. That's without even leaving the EU, where Apple has distribution and online stores aplenty.

I'm sure there must be a reason. Maybe it's local employment laws or other regulations, maybe it's language issues - though hard to see that being a problem in Scandinavia - never mind Eire. Maybe they're satisfied with their resellers, though that doesn't really make sense.

But there must be a reason that there are almost twice as many Apple stores in California than in the entire continental EU.

Yes its still A-Hole. Other than the Uni's this place is quiet as. (ironically one of the main reasons why we need a dedicated Apple store)

I should have taken that job with Apple in Melbourne when i got offered it.

Oh well back to counting sheep and watching local resellers sully the Apple brand.

Actually, having spent several years combined in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne I am an East Coast elitist. Never visited Adelaide or even Perth before.

But it's about to change. I mentioned Perth because I will be going there (currently in South East Asia) and try to make something of it for several months.

Don't worry, if you're just working as a Retail employee for Apple it may not be that fantastic. It's very different visiting and buying stuff from an Apple Store compared to working ~in~ an Apple Store.

Despite your "name" ..... I doubt whether you "love", or even follow Apple, other than to keep posting these ridiculous posts of yours. Anyone who took the time to understand what Apple is all about would recognize the "passion" that the fans have for all things Apple.

Maybe the difference is that I don't consider my identity to be determined by product purchase decisions.

For example, I don't wear logoed T-shirts, because I am me, and not the brand of clothing I purchase.

I never understood, for example, why people like vehicles that have stickers on them telling others that their engine has some sort of valve configuration. I like to drive, but the 16 valve engine is to enhance performance, and not to tell everybody that I'm a "16 valve type of person".

If somebody tells me that they prefer Android, I don't get personally insulted. If somebody prefers Windows, I dn't consider them to be a horrible excuse for a human being.

Computers are hunks of plastic and metal. They are not a determinant of my self-worth.

If I prefer product X, that does not make me a good person or a bad person. If I prefer product X, I am happy and willing to discuss the pros and the cons of the product.

When I was a kid, I thought people who liked Disco instead of The Who were jerks. But I've grown up. Musical taste, like computer buying decisions, are NOT determinant of a person's worth, and most definately do not determine that I am better or worse as a person than somebody who prefers something else.

So I am not a "fan" of a multibillion dollar trans-national corporation. I am a buyer of hunks of plastic and metal. That doesn't make me a good person or a bad person.

Despite your "name" ..... I doubt whether you "love", or even follow Apple, other than to keep posting these ridiculous posts of yours. Anyone who took the time to understand what Apple is all about would recognize the "passion" that the fans have for all things Apple.

If you have a passion for computers .... you'll love Apple. If you have a passion for business ..... you'll love following Apple ... because in both cases .. Apple leads the way in showing "how it should be done".

People who don't have a passion for computers or business will never "get it" when it comes to Apple because to them a computer is just a tool to "get things done" ..... a business is "just something to earn you money".

I feel sorry for people like you and your ilk because the joy that a company like Apple can and does bring to millions of us .... is just lost on you ... and to me, that is just sad. \

I would disagree with you. One can love Apple's products or even the company and still not scream like a little girl every time Apple opens another location in another look-alike mall. While Apple has and continues to open some locations that are quite exciting architecturally, the typical Apple mall store is nothing to get that excited about: lit cabinets on the walls, parsons tables for the devices and (usually) hard concrete floors. When Apple first opened its own retail stores, they had a unique look as compared with other retail, but I personally find that look getting old. Even in the large stores, they've moved away from having an auditorium or presentation area (like they have upstairs at the SoHo store), which I happen to think is wonderful, in favor of one-on-one training. (In fact, I'm worried that the renovation of the SoHo store is going to remove that presentation area. I surely hope that's not the case.)

In addition, Apple sells everything at list price: most non-Apple branded accessories can be purchased less expensively elsewhere. And I've never understood people who wait on line overnight to get into a retail store or who wait on line for five hours to get a t-shirt that is basically a commercial advertisement for the company. Personally, if I walked into an Apple store and they were giving out a t-shirt and I had to wait more than 5-10 minutes on a line to obtain one, I'd pass it up. And I'd never wear it publicly anyway -- I don't wear advertisements.

I can understand the people who live in places where there are no electronics stores selling Apple products and no Apple retail getting a bit excited, as it's nice to get a hands-on the equipment before making a purchase decision. I can understand that if Apple opened a unique looking stand-alone store in a depressed business area (except they don't), being excited about that because Apple being there would probably start an upgrade of the area. I'd get excited if Apple opened a store on "Main Street" instead of a mall. And to be able to bring a device in for servicing is certainly a plus. But other than that, I really don't see what the big deal is. It's not like you can't order Apple online.

And I consider myself to be an Apple supporter and I've used their products for decades. And I own the stock. I'm just not an Apple (or anybody's) fanboy. When I was a kid, going to a large, independently owned record store or book store excited me. Because you could discover things in those places that you couldn't find anywhere else. But I can't think of any other cases where I got excited about a retail store.

Anyway, I'm not sure how this hurts Apple's credibility. One of those quotes was from a third party observer. The applause and the high-fiveing would be rediculous if it was a normal store opening--but when hundreds of people are lining up at the door and waiting hours, well, it seems to be a proportional response.

Please, it is ridiculous, not rediculous. I only bother because so many have this problem with ridiculous.

Apple is the most valuable company in the world, in terms of market cap. They should have more than a few hundred stores (with all but a few in US, Canada, and England). There is obviously a large unmet demand -- witness the level of excitement here and all the fake stores in China. I think it's time they stopped taking a boutique approach, with each store fancily designed in a high end mall. They should just open a big bunch of nice stores in decent places with some standard designs (but keep paying a lot of attention to personnel).

Apple products can be purchased at more than 100,000 locations. The arrangement with Best Buy, Target, etc is the way Apple makes itself accessible more widely. The actual Apple Stores on the other hand appear to be about as successful as any retail operation has ever been. Messing with that formula would be risky and show ingratitude for the luck of apparently hitting on the magic formula the first time. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I think it's interesting that 3 out of the 5 were in the US. I wonder why Apple isn't trying to get the same level of penetration in Europe, Japan, etc. Do they really need a store in Anchorage more than one in Berlin? A proper store in Dubai?

I guess international expansion takes more effort, but still - seems odd.

Surprised me too. Good for Anchorage, but there are at leas scores of locations in more populous areas in the lower 48 (and doubtless in other locations) that would undoubtedly serve more customers and yield greater returns for Apple. I suppose Anchorage sound better and looks good on a map though.